Older Brothers
by lovinMaya
Summary: Gideon and Fabian Prewett warn Arthur Weasley to be good to their sister when he first starts dating her. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is a story about the relationship Arthur Weasley starts to have with his girlfriend Molly's brothers. It only describes the beginning, and I haven't detailed it all the way. It's up to you to draw the conclusions you want! Please review!

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**Older Brothers**

They found him outside on the grounds, sitting on a bench beneath a tree, charming daisies to dance with his wand. His red hair made him stand out amongst the green background, and the two Prewett brothers wore nearly identical smirks as they made their way toward him.

"Weasley," Gideon Prewett called.

Startled, the fifteen-year-old redhead looked up. Clearly, he'd thought he was alone. His eyes darted around them, and with a feeling of dread he realized that he was indeed alone. Alone with his new girlfriend's two older brothers.

When Arthur Weasley had asked Molly Prewett to date him the week before, he had thought of nothing but the girl's easy prettiness and charming character. It wasn't that he hadn't known about Gideon and Fabian Prewett, he had simply been blinded by his affection for Molly. Now, though he would never regret his decision to ask her out, Arthur was beginning to regret coming out to the grounds by himself to charm flowers for her.

"What are you up to, there, Weasley?" said Fabian, taking a seat next to Arthur and placing an arm over his shoulder, a gesture that was both friendly and somewhat threatening.

"I'm-I'm, er, ch-charming flowers," Arthur stuttered, looking back and forth between the two brothers.

"Charming flowers," Fabian repeated, giving Arthur's shoulder a squeeze. The redhead flinched. "Doesn't that sound lovely, Gideon?"

"Lovely, indeed," Gideon agreed. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he looked much more menacing than his younger brother.

"Who are these dancing flowers for, Weasley?" said Fabian.

Arthur froze and looked nervously at Fabian.

"Well?" the older brother demanded.

For a moment he considered telling them that he was only practicing his Charms, but decided that being honest would make them respect him more. "They're, um, they're for Molly," said Arthur hoarsely.

"They're for Molly," said Fabian. It wasn't a question, but Arthur nodded anyway.

"You know, that's really a coincidence, because that's actually what we wanted to talk to you about," said Gideon, boring holes into Arthur's very soul with his eyes.

The fifth year's mouth was very dry. "About-about Molly?"

"Yes, Arthur, about our sister Molly," said Fabian.

"And she doesn't know we're speaking to you about her, so you aren't going to tell her," Gideon warned.

"Okay," Arthur squeaked.

"What would you say if we told you that you can't see her anymore?" said the younger brother, looking at Arthur with genuine curiosity.

This had been Arthur's greatest fear when he'd seen the two burly boys approach him. Not being hexed, not being beaten black and blue, and not even being told not to see Molly ever again. Above all, he feared being forced to tell his girlfriend's two brothers, the people he wanted most to like him, that he was not going to do as they said. Because Arthur Weasley, though very timid at the moment, was not a coward.

"I-I'm sorry," said Arthur.

Upon hearing this, Fabian's heart sank. He'd been hoping Arthur would put up a fight; his baby sister did not deserve someone who gave up so easily.

"But I'd-I'd tell you I can't do that," Arthur admitted in a whispered voice.

"What did you say?" said a shocked Gideon. He hadn't expected this. Fabian had been the one who'd expected their sister's boyfriend to stand up to them.

Only Gideon noticed his brother's chest swell with satisfaction, as Fabian's face remained stony.

"Would you, now?" he said threateningly.

Arthur turned pale and swallowed, but nodded nonetheless. They could do whatever he wanted, but Molly Prewett spoke to his heart, his soul, and he wasn't going to let that go just because of two very large boys.

Fabian looked thoughtful for a moment, and then patted Arthur's shoulder. "Good," he said, standing up.

Confused, Arthur stared up at him. "Wh-what?"

"I said, good," said Fabian. "What don't you understand?"

"N-nothing. I'm sorry," Arthur amended, looking down.

"Treat her right," said Gideon. The boy didn't notice, but Gideon's voice had become much gentler. "And she likes carnations more than daisies."

Surprised, Arthur glanced at his girlfriend's brother and smiled shakily. "Thanks," he said.

Gideon smiled back. "You're welcome, Weasley."

The use of his last name reminded Arthur that Gideon, though friendly, was still higher than him, and he acknowledged it with a serious nod.

"We'll leave you to it," said Fabian.

As the two brothers walked away, they discussed their encounter with the boy Molly had been so excited to date the week before.

"So did he pass?" said Fabian.

"Not yet," said Gideon, shaking his head.

"Why not? I thought we were just looking for him to care more about Molly than himself—to, like, be adequately scared of us but not enough to put the fear before her or whatever," said Fabian.

"Yeah," said Gideon. "That's exactly what we're looking for."

"But," said Fabian, confused, "that's exactly what he did."

"Not yet," Gideon repeated. "We told him not to tell her we talked to him."

"Oh," said Fabian, understanding. "He's got to tell her."

"Yup."

"Why?"

"Because," Gideon explained, "if he tells her, that means that he's afraid of us enough to care about what we think of him, and he's not afraid enough to ask her."

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Later that evening, Molly Prewett lay across her boyfriend's chest in the grass, staring up at the dusk sky.

"Molly?" began Arthur, playing with her red hair, one of her magnificent features that had so drawn him to her.

"Yes?"

"Er, your brothers came to talk to me today."

She sat up instantly. How dare they?

"What?" she demanded. "What the hell do you mean? They came to talk to you?"

He sat up as well and tentatively took her hands. "Yeah, they did. They, er, sort of warned me to-to stay away from you, but-but I told them I wouldn't."

"They did _what?!_" she shrieked. "How could they do that?" They'd seen how happy she was. Why and how could they tell this wonderful boy to stop seeing her?

"Molly, wait." Arthur was trying to bring her attention back to the question he so needed to ask. "Can—do you—do you think you know what they think? Like, do they hate me?"

"It doesn't matter _what they think_! Bloody—oh, am I going to give it to them…" She sped off on a wild rant, and Arthur lay back down, sighing with disappointment because he was never going to receive the answer to his question, and with contentment, because he was the luckiest man in the world.

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The next day, Molly stormed directly at her brothers and began screaming as they'd never heard her scream before.

What she didn't notice, however, was that she was ranting and raving at two faces that supported nearly identical broad grins.

"He passed?" Fabian muttered to his brother.

"He passed. Congrats, Molly," said Gideon.

She didn't hear them, but at that moment, not one of them could have been happier.

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**A/N: **I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave your thoughts, and let me know if I should write more about this.

~Maya


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** This was another moment I had in mind describing the relationship between Arthur and his brothers-in-law. I hope you enjoy it!

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**Older Brothers**

The afternoon was a warm one, with a cool breeze tickling the ears of every guest gathered for Arthur Weasley's and Molly Prewett's wedding. Friends and family had gathered around a modestly but beautifully decorated aisle, chattering excitedly about the union they were about to witness. Sitting in a cozy shed a few feet away from the altar, Arthur was finding it difficult to breathe. Eighteen years old, he'd been with Molly for four years, and knew without a doubt that she was the one for him. Before he had met her, he'd never given much credit to the idea that people had "soul mates," but now he couldn't be surer that Molly was his. And today, he would promise to be hers. There was only one problem.

Cold darkness had enveloped the Wizarding world, sneaking into homes and minds, planting terror everywhere it crept. The world as they knew it was falling, and try as they might to stop it, their grip on their lives seemed to loosen with every moment. Marrying Molly and starting a family with her, though it was what he wanted with all his heart, seemed to Arthur like he was making a promise the world would not let him keep.

A knock on the door shook him out of his anxiety. Paling, Arthur gritted his teeth and prepared to face the woman he loved and promise her a forever. With a deep breath, he pulled open the door and came face to face with Gideon and Fabian Prewett, Molly's two older brothers. They both wore nearly identical knowing expressions and entered Arthur's shed, shutting the door behind them. Uncertainly, Arthur looked back and forth between the two brothers.

"What's up?" he said.

"That's what we came to ask you," said Fabian, staring him down.

Arthur gulped. Though he got on extremely well with Gideon and Fabian and loved them like his own brothers, he couldn't deny that they intimidated him out of his wits.

"Look," he began nervously. "It's not, er, what it looks like—"

"Well, what is it, then?" Gideon demanded. "Because it looks like the man who's supposed to be marrying our baby sister is hiding, squeaking like a little mouse, in a broom shed on his _wedding day_."

"Okay," said Arthur, more nervous than ever now. "Okay. Yeah, I get that's-that's what it looks like. And-and yeah, I am scared, but—"

"Bloody hell," growled Fabian. "I can't believe we actually gave this coward our blessing. We should've seen this right off the bat."

"But—no—"

"You're completely right, Fabian," said Gideon, glaring at Arthur coldly.

"Right. Right," said Fabian, grinding his teeth and staring at the ground, trying to summon up courage from the earth. It made his insides twist into an uncomfortable and painful knot to think about how Molly would feel. "I suppose we'll have to—"

"I'm not hiding 'cause I'm scared to marry Molly!" Arthur cried forcefully.

The brothers stood side by side in silence.

"Then why?" said Fabian finally.

"Because…because…" Arthur's face contorted with fear and pain. "I won't be able to promise her forever." He uttered the last words in a whisper as his eyes brimmed with tears.

Gideon and Fabian exchanged a shocked look; this redhead boy, slightly shy and mostly quiet, had never displayed an emotional side.

"Er…what do you mean?" said Fabian quietly, unsure how to react.

"Just…just the war," Arthur whispered desperately, brushing his eyes impatiently with his hand. "It-it's not gonna let me—I can't-I can't be with Molly forever. The war is…just too unpredictable."

Hesitantly, Gideon sat next to Arthur and placed a large hand on his bony shoulder. "So you're saying," he began slowly, "that you're worried about marrying my sister because…you might have to break your promise if…if the war gets you?"

With a shuddering breath, Arthur nodded as a few tears slipped stubbornly from his eyes. The thought of losing Molly in this war, whether it was he or she who was taken by it, tortured him cruelly.

"Arthur," said Fabian in a low voice. "I can tell you for a fact that all of us are-are terrified about what or whom we might lose in this war. But you see, you're not promising her that you won't lose each other in the war. You're promising her that you'll stand by her through it, for the rest of your life and hopefully hers. For as long as you're with each other, you'll be hers. That's your forever."

"Blimey," said Gideon, the corners of his mouth twitching. "Didn't know you had the romance in you, mate."

Fabian punched him in the shoulder, and Arthur let out a shaky laugh.

"She's lucky to have you, Weasley," said Gideon seriously.

Shaking his head, Arthur murmured, "I'm lucky to have her."

"That you are," Fabian agreed with a chuckle. "Never forget it."

"Never," Arthur promised. And suddenly he knew that it was true. He would never stop marveling at how lucky he was to have Molly Prewett—soon to be Weasley—and he'd never stop letting her know it. He could die for his love, and perhaps he would. Perhaps all of them would. But, Arthur realized, there was no point in fearing that he would not live a lifetime with Molly, because he knew that he would make whatever time they had into a lifetime. Their own forever, as Fabian had said.

More strongly and confidently, Arthur stood up and smiled at his to-be brothers-in-law bravely. "Thank you," he said, and he meant it with all his heart.

They nodded stoically, but Fabian stepped forward and gave him a brief hug. In that moment, as the large, intimidating man's arms wrapped around him, Arthur felt Fabian's fierce emotions; the joy for Molly's happiness, the fear of loss, and the pride in his new brother-in-law surged through the older man.

He stepped away, the emotions that he had bared in the hug shining in his eyes, and clapped Arthur on the back.

"Be her everything, Weasley," said Gideon. "And make sure she's yours."

They strode out of the shed, leaving the groom to soak in the feelings they had left behind.

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**A/N:** I'm also thinking of doing one of Arthur's (and Molly's) reaction to losing Gideon and Fabian. Let me know what you think, and what you thought of this one!

~Maya


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